Solarice Spa has officially closed its doors, joining a gamut of Whistler businesses that have had to close up shop this year.
And for Colleen Felgate, a yoga teacher who worked at the Solarice studio since the spa opened in 2003, it's a big loss for many Whistler residents who practice the popular spiritual discipline.
"It's where a lot of people began the yoga practice," she said. "As far as the yoga community is concerned, it's where locals knew they could always get a deal, and also based on location and ease of getting there... it was definitely highly rated."
Solarice had a sign on its door last week stating that a "laundry problem" was preventing the spa from being open until October 7. The spa left a similar message on its voicemail.
The Solarice location in Vancouver confirmed in a voicemail that both locations have closed their doors permanently.
Pique attempted to contact Solarice owners Dr. Lisa Skerritt and Dr. Amy Rein last week. Skerritt could not be reached for comment and Rein said in a voicemail that she would like to send a letter to the community about the closure.
Though she could not say why Solarice closed, Felgate said that the spa could often count on shoulder season business from Whistler residents, but even that could not keep the business open after the Olympics.
"In the offseason, every other business got very quiet," she said. "We would get busier, particularly in October or November.
"Definitely since the winter of the Olympics we took a hit and I think everybody did, but we were quiet for sure. And the Olympic week itself, I barely had a single soul in a yoga studio."
The closure of Solarice Wellness Spa brings to at least six the number of Whistler business to close in 2011. In spring, the Korean restaurant Celadon closed its doors.
June brought the closure of Rogers Video in Marketplace, as its lease came up and the corporation decided not to renew it.
July saw Please Mum children's clothing store shut. It was one of 68 closures that the chain carried out across Canada in the midst of applying for creditor protection.
Street to Peak Street Surf and Snow, a clothing store formerly located in the Upper Village, closed last month after operating in Whistler since 2007. Owner Hi Brooks is now a candidate for Whistler council.
2011 also brought about the apparent closure of Players Chophouse in Whistler. The Creekside restaurant has a note on its door saying that it is currently revamping its menu, but there is no indication as to whether or not it will open again. A receptionist at Players Chophouse in Vancouver said it is their understanding that the location will not open again but could not provide further comment.
Fiona Famulak, president of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber does nto comment on the business models of its members and is not equipped to comment on the cause of the recent closure of Solarice Spa.
The Chamber, she said, cannot prevent business closures but that it actively seeks input from members about what business support is needed.
Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed, now running for a third term in office, said in an email response that the closure of a Whistler business is always concerning and that it raises the bigger question about challenges facing the broader small business community.
Asked how the number of businesses closing in 2011 compares to previous years, he said, "I don't know how useful year to year comparisons are in trying to get at the root causes of closures. This is particularly difficult given the tumultuous times we have been through recently and the business as unusual of the Games period.
"I think video stores are closing due to the emergence of web and cable on demand competition, but is reflective of the fact that much of our business woes are not the result of internal forces."
Ralph Forsyth, an incumbent councillor challenging Melamed for mayor of Whistler, also said it was sad to see Solarice close and added that the municipality can do more to create a prosperous business community in town.
Borrowing an idea from Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts, he said he wants to establish an economic advisory panel that could include a "brain trust" of former executives living in Whistler.
"We need to talk to them about how we can create that climate in the town that helps business prosper," Forsyth said. "I've had lots of conversations with people in the community about how we can do that, but you have to come out with concrete actions."
Nancy Wilhelm Morden, a former councillor and former Solarice client who is also seeking the mayoralty of Whistler, said it is sad to hear about any business that closes in Whistler.
"I don't know that there are more or less than previous years," she said of the number of businesses closing. "My sense is that there are more closing this year than there have been in recent memory.
"I think there's a number of factors - the dollar, the fact Americans aren't travelling as much as they used to, post Games chill, - so the visitor numbers haven't been as high as they were, plus we're attracting a different type of visitor now.
"What the RMOW can do is get taxes under control. We need to focus on fiscal responsibility and stop these ever increasing property taxes, because of course that's handed down by the commercial landlord to the commercial tenant and it's one more factor that makes it difficult for business."
